Social Watch E-Newsletter - Issue 296 - May 5, 2017

Issue 296 - May 5, 2017
 
   
 

Philippines: The transformative potential of an universal social protection floor

   
 

“The universal and potentially 'transformative' character of the USPF has broad appeal to many rights-based advocates” explained Victoria Raquiza, co-convenor of Social Watch Philippines at the start of a debate convened by SWP and UNICEF in Manila, last April 26. “While acknowledging the strides made in social protection such as through the conditional cash transfer program (Pantawid Pamilya), PhilHealth and pensions for the elderly, social protection remains fragmented, inaccessible and unreachable to may Filipinos.” Speakers from the governmental Department of Social Welfare and Development, National Anti-Poverty Commission, and the Coalition of Services of the Elderly reacted to the propositions of UNIEF, the ILO and Social Watch Philippines. Read more

 

   
   
 

Role of tax for gender equality highlighted at UN

   
 

The 2017 meeting of the UN Commission on the Stus of Women agreed on the need for “progressive tax systems, improved tax policy, more efficient tax collection and increased priority on gender equality and the empowerment of women in official development assistance”. This call for an independent global tax body in connection with women, along with the call on Member States to strengthen government oversight of PPPs is significant. Does it perhaps signal a new willingness of CSW to take on constraints to women’s rights and empowerment beyond the national level? Read more

 

   
   
 

2030 Agenda: Switzerland needs to address its damaging financial policies

   
   
 

To show that it takes the 2030 Agenda seriously, Switzerland needs to look at the damaging impact of its international financial and fiscal policies, argues Eva Schmassmann, from the Swiss coalition of development organizations Alliance Sud. "With over 3,000 billion USD of managed foreign assets, Switzerland – as a financial center – is the largest offshore haven in the world and one of the preferred low tax areas for global companies. Developing countries are losing billions in income that they could be using to implement sustainable development because of legal and illegal tax optimization techniques". Read more

 

   
   
 

The UN starts to reform its working methods for the 2030 Agenda

   
 

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is driving discussions on reforming UN working methods. Consultations are being held at the UN headquarters, which aim to enhance synergies and coherence, and to reduce overlap between the agendas of the UN General Assembly (GA) and the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), including in the high-level political forum on sustainable development (HLPF).
“The dialogue”, as the co-Chairs of Australia and Argentina refer to it, is premised on a previous mapping of GA committees' mandates, and includes the reexamination of the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) and other Secretariat offices, to better align with the 2030 Agenda. Read more.

 

   
 

Check out new web feature
"Global Policy Watch Notice Board" for updates on current affairs of the United Nations in New York

   
   
 

Invitation to contribute to the 2017 report

   
 

Social Watch will again join forces with other NGOs and networks to publish in 2017 a new "Spotlight report" (as opposed to "shadow report") on sustainable development.
This report will be launched next July during the meeting of the High Level Political Forum of the United Nations that will review at ministerial level the Agenda 2030 and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals.
Almost two years after the adoption of this ambitious agenda, the 2017 report will look at how it is implemented. The Guidelines for the Social Watch national reports 2017 are available in EnglishFrench and Spanish

 

   
   
 
SOCIAL WATCH IS AN INTERNATIONAL NGO WATCHDOG NETWORK MONITORING POVERTY ERADICATION AND GENDER EQUALITY
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